Emirate


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This article is about the political term "emirate". For other uses, see Emirates.
"Imarat" redirects here. For places in Iran, see Imarat, Iran.

An emirate is a political territory that is ruled by a dynastic Arabic or Islamic monarch-styled emir.[1]

Etymology

Etymologically emirate or amirate (Arabic: إمارة‎ imārah, plural: إمارات imārāt) is the quality, dignity, office, or territorial competence of any emir (prince, commander, governor, etc.). In English, the term is pronounced /ˈɛmərət, -ɪər-, -ɪt, -eɪt/ or /ɛˈmɪərət, -ɪt, -eɪt, iˈ-/ in British English and /ˈɛmərət/ or /ɪˈmɪərət/ in American English.[2]

As monarchies

The United Arab Emirates is a federal state that comprises seven federal emirates, each administered by a hereditary emir, these seven forming the electoral college for the federation's president and prime minister. As most emirates have either disappeared, been integrated in a larger modern state, or changed their rulers' styles, e.g. to malik (Arabic for king) or sultan, such true emirate-states have become rare.

As provinces

Furthermore, in Arabic the term can be generalized to mean any province of a country that is administered by a member of the ruling class, especially of a member (usually styled emir) of the royal family, as in Saudi Arabian governorates.

List of present emirates

Location of Kuwait (red), Qatar (green), and the emirates of the United Arab Emirates

A list of present independent emirates:

  • Kuwait (also called the State of Kuwait), emirate since 1961
  • Qatar (also called the State of Qatar), emirate since 1971
  • United Arab Emirates, united since 1971
    • Emirate of Abu Dhabi
    • Emirate of Ajman
    • Emirate of Dubai
    • Emirate of Fujairah
    • Emirate of Ras Al Khaimah (joined the federation in February 1972)
    • Emirate of Sharjah
    • Emirate of Umm Al Quwain

List of former and integrated emirates

A list of emirates that have either ceased to exist, are not recognized and hold no real power, or were integrated into another country and preserved as "traditional states" arranged by location and in order of the date of the first leader styled "emir."

Africa

Nigeria

  • Fika Emirate, northeastern Nigeria 15th century– (integrated)
  • Gwandu Emirate, northwestern Nigeria 15th century to 2005 (integrated and then deposed)
  • Kebbi Emirate, northwestern Nigeria 1516– (integrated)
  • Borgu Emirate, westcentral Nigeria, formed from Bussa Emirate 1730–1954 and Kaiama Emirate 1912–54, unified 1954– (integrated)
  • Gumel Emirate, northcentral Nigeria 1749– (integrated)
  • Yauri Emirate, northwestern Nigeria 1799– (integrated)
  • Gombe Emirate, northeast Nigeria 1804– (integrated)
  • Kano Emirate, northcentral Nigeria 1805– (integrated)
  • Bauchi Emirate, northeast Nigeria 1805– (integrated)
  • Daura Emirate, northcentral Nigeria off and on 1805– (integrated)
  • Katagum Emirate, northcentral Nigeria 1807– (integrated)
  • Zaria Emirate, northcentral Nigeria 1808– (integrated)
  • Potiskum Emirate, northeastern Nigeria 1809– (integrated)
  • Adamawa Emirate, eastern Nigeria and formerly into western Cameroon 1809– (integrated where preserved)
  • Ilorin Emirate, southwestern Nigeria 1817– (integrated)
  • Muri Emirate, eastcentral Nigeria 1817– (integrated)
  • Kazaure Emirate, northcentral Nigeria 1819– (integrated)
  • Lapai Emirate, central Nigeria 1825– (integrated)
  • Suleja Emirate, central Nigeria 1828– (integrated)
  • Agaie Emirate, westcentral Nigeria 1832– (integrated)
  • Bida Emirate, westcentral Nigeria 1856– (integrated)
  • Kontagora Emirate, northcentral Nigeria, 1858– (integrated)
  • Borno Emirate, northeastern Nigeria 1900– (integrated)
  • Dikwa Emirate, northeast Nigeria 1901– (integrated)
  • Biu Emirate, northeast Nigeria 1920– (integrated)

North Africa

  • Ifriqiya under the Hafsids

  • Trarza (upper left)

  • Cyrenaica in Libya

Asia

Arabia

  • Uyunid Emirate, the modern Arabian Peninsula 1076–1253
  • Emirate of Beihan, modern southern Yemen 1680–1967
  • Emirate of Diriyah, mainly in modern Saudi Arabia and the UAE 1744–1818
  • Emirate of Nejd, eastern Arabia 1818–91
  • Emirate of Dhala, modern southern Yemen early 19th century to 1967
  • Emirate of Jabal Shammar, northcentral Arabia 1836–1921
  • Emirate of Nejd and Hasa, central Arabia 1902–21
  • Idrisid Emirate of Asir, Jizan in modern southwestern Saudi Arabia 1906–34
  • Emirate of Mecca, Hejaz of modern Saudi Arabia 1916–24 (ibn Saud family, from when recognized by Allies as emir to when the royal style changed)
  • Emirate of Bahrain, 1971–2002 (before it was under a hakim; after under a malik)
  • The Al-Qaeda Emirate in Yemen in the interior of Yemen affiliated with Al-Qaeda on the Arabian Peninsula (especially in Hadramaut Governorate)
  • Emirates of Saudi Arabia, the thirteen provinces of Saudi Arabia

  • Beihan and Dhala in South Arabia

  • Diriyah

  • Nejd

  • Jabal Shammar

  • Asir at its height

  • Bahrain

  • Saudi Arabian emirate divisions

Central Asia and the Indian subcontinent

  • Bukhara

  • Emirate of Afghanistan

  • Khotan in modern China

  • Waziristan in Pakistan

Near East

  • Ottoman emirate in 1300, labeled 'Osman'

  • Timurid Emirate under the leadership of Timur

  • Soran (at center)

  • Transjordan

Europe

Caucasus

  • Darband, Azerbaijan

  • Armenia

Iberia

  • Córdoba

  • Badajoz

  • Granada

Mediterranean region

  • Emirate of Crete, Crete, modern Greece, 824 or 827/828 to 961
  • Emirate of Bari, city of Bari in southern Italy 847–871
  • Emirate of Malta, 870–1091
  • Emirate of Sicily, Sicily 965–1072

  • Crete within modern Greece

  • Sicily (at bottom)

See also

References

  1. ^ "The definition of emirate". Dictionary.com.
  2. ^ Wells, John C. (2008), Longman Pronunciation Dictionary (3rd ed.), Longman, ISBN 9781405881180
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